flush

flush¹

—flushable, adj. —flusher, n. —flushingly, adv. —flushness, n.

/flush/, n.

1. a blush; rosy glow: a flush of embarrassment on his face.

2. a rushing or overspreading flow, as of water.

3. a sudden rise of emotion or excitement: a flush of anger.

4. glowing freshness or vigor: the flush of youth.

5. hot flush. See hot flash.

6. a cleansing preparation that acts by flushing: an oil flush for the car's engine.

v.t.

7. to redden; cause to blush or glow: Winter air flushed the children's cheeks.

8. to flood or spray thoroughly with water, as for cleansing purposes: They flushed the wall with water and then scrubbed it down.

9. to wash out (a sewer, toilet, etc.) by a sudden rush of water.

10. Metall.

a. to remove slag from (a blast furnace).

b. to spray (a coke oven) to cool the gases generated and wash away the ammonia and tars distilled.

11. to animate or excite; inflame: flushed with success.

v.i.

12. to blush; redden.

13. to flow with a rush; flow and spread suddenly.

14. to operate by flushing; undergo flushing: The toilet won't flush.

[1540-50; perh. extended senses of FLUSH³; cf. similar phonesthemic elements and meanings of BLUSH, GUSH, FLASH]

Syn. 3. access, rush, flood, impulse, thrill.

flush²

—flushness, n.

/flush/, adj.

1. even or level, as with a surface; forming the same plane: The bottom of the window is flush with the floor.

2. having direct contact; being right next to; immediately adjacent; contiguous: The table was flush against the wall.

3. well-supplied, as with money; affluent; prosperous: He was feeling flush on payday.

4. abundant or plentiful, as money.

5. having a ruddy or reddish color; blushing.

6. full of vigor; lusty.

7. full to overflowing.

8. Print. even or level with the right margin (flush right) or the left margin (flush left) of the type page; without an indention.

adv.

9. on the same level; in a straight line; without a change of plane: to be made flush with the top of the table.

10. in direct contact; squarely: It was set flush against the edge.

v.t.

11. to make flush or even.

12. to improve the nutrition of (a ewe) to bring on optimum physiological conditions for breeding.

v.i.

13. to send out shoots, as plants in spring.

n.

14. a fresh growth, as of shoots and leaves.

[1540-50; perh. all sense developments of FLUSH¹]

flush³

/flush/, Hunting.

v.t.

1. to rouse and cause to start up or fly off: to flush a woodcock.

v.i.

2. to fly out or start up suddenly.

n.

3. a flushed bird or flock of birds.

[1250-1300; ME flusshen, first attested as ptp. fluste, fliste; of uncert. orig.]

flush⁴

/flush/, Cards.

adj.

1. consisting entirely of cards of one suit: a flush hand.

n.

2. a hand or set of cards all of one suit. Cf. royal flush, straight flush.

3. Pinochle. a meld of ace, king, queen, jack, and ten of the trump suit. Cf. marriage (def. 8), royal marriage.

[1520-30; cf. F (obs.) flus, var. of flux flow, flush (cf. phrase run of cards) < L fluxus FLUX]

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